Susan Paskewitz, Professor

1987 — University of Georgia, Ph.D.
Entomology, Athens, Georgia

1982 — Southern Illinois Univ., M.A.
Zoology, Carbondale, Illinois

1979 — Southern Illinois Univ., B.S.
Zoology, Carbondale, Illinois

CURRENT RESEARCH INTERESTS

Suborganismal biology of insect/pathogen interactions. My lab focuses on the interactions between malaria parasites and the mosquitoes that transmit them. In particular, we study how the mosquito defends itself against malaria parasites and how the parasites evade these responses. These studies use the Anopheles gambiae/Plasmodium berghei system as a model but we are also collaborating with Mahidol University in Thailand to examine Anopheles dirus/Plasmodium falciparum interactions using the same techniques. The long-term goal is to manipulate these interactions to block or reduce the transmission of parasites.

Other projects involve collaborations to:

1. Develop new viral vectors for gene studies in the mosquito (with Ranjit Dasgupta and Bruce Christensen).
2. Examine the effect of sporozoite dose on the efficacy of vaccine constructs (with Bill Weidanz).

Biology of West Nile virus in Wisconsin. This new project is focused on identifying mosquitoes that can transmit WNV in southern Wisconsin and investigating key biological features including host feeding preference and temporal profiles of peak biting times.

For information about undergraduate, graduate or postdoctoral training and employment (technical) opportunities with Dr. Paskewitz’s group, see Training/Employment opportunitites.

ASSOCIATES AND FRIENDS (2007)

Row 1 Dr.Loyce Okedi (Visiting Scholar), Claire Barker (and Lefty), Natalie Hernandez (Undergraduate research assistant), Parichat Lapcharoen (Visiting Scholar), Rachel   (Graduate Student-Hogg Laboratory) ,Dr. Mayur Kajla (Postdoctoral associate) Row 2 Prof. Susan Paskewitz, Grace Hughes, Tony and Ethan Hughes (Graduate student with son), Heather Sage (Undergraduate research assistant), Olga Andreev (Research Specialist), Dimitry Andreev Back row Tom Gilbreath (Research Assistant), Patrick Irwin (Graduate student)

ASSOCIATES (2005)

Andreeva, Olga (Research Specialist) Li, Bin (Research Assocaite) Radtke, Andrea (Research Assistant) Schadd, Beth (Research Specialist) Shi, Lei (Research Scientist) Sriwichai, Patchara (Royal Golden Jubilee Fellow) Walker, Ellie (Research Assistant)

ADDRESS

University of Wisconsin-Madison
Department of Entomology
1630 Linden Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53706
U.S.A.

Phone: (608) 262-1269
Fax: (608) 262-3322
E-mail: paskewit@entomology.wisc.edu